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Abstract
This paper provides details of a project to test horizontal waterflooding as a means of improved oil recovery in Osage County, OK.
Supported by a grant from the Department of Energy (DOE), an independent operator, Grand Resources, Inc., has developed a process
for selecting and developing candidate reservoirs for horizontal waterflooding. Reservoir screening is the first step in the process and
then rock mechanics are used to predict wellbore stability for determining the most efficient completion method. Geologic and
reservoir parameters are considered when selecting the radius of curvature for the horizontal well to be drilled and the air/foam drilling
fluids to be utilized to avoid formation damage. The final step is to run a comprehensive set of logs through the curve and out into the
reservoir allowing for petrophysical evaluation.
To accomplish an economically successful project, given the basic assumption of an existing field infrastructure having an
adequate water supply well available, the following three goals must be met: 1) demonstrate that horizontal waterflooding is technically
and economically feasible for recovering additional oil in shallow low permeability reservoirs; 2) demonstrate that open hole
completions are a viable technique based on wellbore stability considerations; 3) demonstrate that short radius rotary steerable
technology can drill horizontal wells at low cost and without reservoir damage.
Introduction
It is solidly established that significant amounts of oil are still trapped in the producing formations when wells in waterflooded fields
are abandoned due to high water-oil ratio (WOR) causing production to be uneconomical. Many techniques have been developed with
a goal of economically recovering this bypassed oil. This paper discusses the technique of using parallel horizontal water injection and
production wells as a method of enhanced oil recovery
Background
Historical Waterflooding in Osage County
The Bartlesville reservoir in northeastern Oklahoma has been one of the most prolific oil producing formations in the United States.
Ye1 reports that 1.5 billion barrels of oil have been produced from the Bartlesville formation through the 1960s. The Bartlesville
formation remains an important producing horizon even though it is considered to be in a mature stage of depletion. In spite of the
large cumulative production from the Bartlesville, the recovery efficiency has been low, usually less than 20% of the original oil in
place (OOIP). Recovery during primary production operations is low due to: (1) a solution gas-drive mechanism, which results in
rapid pressure depletion and (2) low initial reservoir pressure which is a consequence of the shallow depth. The remaining 80% of the
OOIP has attracted many secondary and tertiary recovery techniques to be attempted.
Secondary recovery operations are often not effective or economic due to shallow depth, existence of natural fractures and low
permeability. The Bartlesville sandstone across Osage County ranges in depth from 1,000 to 3,000 is known to be naturally
fractured2 and typically has permeability values less than 50 millidarcies (md). In an attempt to improve the economics of Bartlesville
waterfloods, operators frequently inject water above the fracture-parting pressure to achieve better injectivity. The result is often
unfavorable since the water tends to channel through the fractures bypassing much of the remaining oil in the matrix. Development of
small patterns with closer well spacing can lead to improved recovery, however, the economics are impacted negatively because of the
number of wells required.
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least expensive method of completing the wells into the Bartlesville sandstone. Rock mechanic studies indicate that the matrix of this
Pennsylvanian formation has the strength and competency allowing for openhole completions.
The directional drilling is accomplished by using the proven rotary drilling system developed and licensed by Amoco (now BP).
Simply put, this system consists of basically two drilling assemblies: a curve drilling assembly (CDA) and the lateral drilling
assembly. The CDA drills a very predicable curve of a designed turning radius based on tool configuration. These wells were drilled
with the CDA configured to drill a 70 radius curve. (The well path goes from vertical to horizontal following a curve scribed by a 70
radius.) Thus by drilling 110 measured depth, the inclination increased from zero (vertical) to 90o (horizontal).
The CDA is removed from the well and the lateral drilling assembly is run in to drill the desired horizontal section of the well. To
explain the details of this short radius, underbalanced drilling technique, the field operations for the Wolco #4A will be reviewed. The
location of this well is shown on Figure 3.
The vertical portion of this well was drilled to a total depth of 1,628. Open-hole logs (gamma-ray, induction and a sonic based
borehole televiewer) were run to confirm geology and to identify fracture existence and orientation. No fractures were identified
during this logging run.
The 5 production casing was run to 1,627 and cement was circulated to the surface. The CDA was picked up and run into the
well. A gyroscopic surveying tool was utilized to orient the CDA. The 70 radius curve was drilled per the well plan from 1,635 to
1,733 (measured depth). The curve maintained the desired direction and ended as planned, which allowed the lateral section to be
drilled parallel to a slightly up dip formation. The curve was drilled using water as the circulating medium.
The lateral section was drilled underbalanced circulating with air/foam in an effort to minimize formation damage in the low
pressured reservoir. Two different lateral drilling assemblies were used for drilling the horizontal section of the well. A modified air
hammer bottom hole assembly was first run in the well, but a correction run was necessary as the air hammer assembly was dropping
angle too quickly. After the correction run, a packed hole rotary drilling system was used, with frequent surveys taken to check for
proper wellbore direction and inclination. The packed bottom hole assembly held the desired inclination angle and direction. Wolco
#4A was drilled to a measured depth of 2,732.
A directional plot of Wolco #4A can be found as Figure 5. This figure presents the well plan and the actual wellbore path based on
survey results. The drilling of Wolco #4A followed the plan regarding direction, inclination and total length drilled.
Logging Short Radius Wells
Grand Resources has developed a method to log horizontal wells through short radius curves by deploying logging tools via sucker
rods. The gamma ray, density, induction and borehole televiewer logs were run to determine fluid saturations, identify fractures and
confirm geology through the horizontal section of Wolco #4A.
Logs were run into the horizontal section of the wellbore approximately 500. After logging 500 of lateral section, friction and the
flexibility of the sucker rods prevented the logs from going any further into the lateral. To overcome the distance limitation of the
sucker-rod conveyed logging technique, work is currently progressing on adapting a commercially available down hole wireline
tractor to pull the logs out into the lateral section through the short 70 radius curves.
The borehole televiewer log was run from 1,626 to 2,248. This log is designed to detect and interpret fracture existence and
orientation. The log encountered very few fractures in the wellbore. The density log was run through the lateral from 1,732 2,245
and porosity values averaged 16%. The induction log was run through the curve and 550 into the lateral portion of the well.
Resistivity values in the top section of the Bartlesville (1,650 1,700 measured depth) were approximately 5 ohms. Resistivity
values along the length of the lateral (1,732 2,270) averaged 2 ohms. Low resistivity values were expected in this wellbore due to
its position near the bottom of the reservoir.
Project Economics
Three Bartlesville Sandstone horizontal wells were drilled in the Wolco Field in the following sequence: Wolco #4A; #6A; and #5A.
A continuous improvement process of well planning, drilling and post well review is an effective method applying lessons learned
from each well drilled. This technique resulted in each successive well being drilled more efficiently and more cost effectively than
the last. The first well drilled, Wolco #4A, cost $257,000. The second well drilled, Wolco #6A, cost $214,000, and the third well
drilled, Wolco #5A, cost $202,000. Todays cost to drill and complete a typical vertical well in the Bartlesville in the Wolco Field is
estimated at $98,000.
Simulation results, coupled with an economic evaluation indicate a horizontal waterflood on 23 acre spacing would generate $2.9
million cumulative revenue over 6 years of operation, compared to $1.4 million cumulative revenue over 30 years of operation for a
five-spot vertical waterflood. Present values (PV10) for horizontal and vertical five-spot waterfloods in the Wolco Field are $2.3 and
$0.4 million respectively. Horizontal waterflooding responds more quickly to water injection, resulting in significant amounts of
incremental oil produced early in the project. This early horizontal waterflood response yields more attractive investment
opportunities as compared to vertical waterflood projects.
Production Results
Initial conditions prior to producing from or injecting into the horizontal wells were determined by taking fluid levels with an acoustic
fluid level device in both idle wells and the new wells. The pressure in the pilot area averages 126 psi.
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A water supply well (Wolco WS #1) has been completed with a submersible pump capable of moving 2,000 bwpd from the
Arbuckle formation which is approximately 500 below the Bartlesville. The injection water is transferred directly into the injection
well via the submersible pump.
Pumping units have been installed on the two producing wells. The tank battery is capable handling the produced fluids and
disposing of produced water in a disposal well, Wolco #1A, on the north end of the pilot area.
The producing wells are completed with insert pumps in the 2 7/8 tubing set in the 5 casing in the vertical section of the well.
This places the pump inlet 90 above the horizontal section of the well. The producing wells began pumping in early January 2004.
The injection well, Wolco #4A, was completed with a packer in the 5 casing in the vertical section of the well with 2 7/8 duolined (internally coated) tubing to combat the mildly corrosive nature of the injection water. Water injection began on December 30,
2003. The submersible pump in the water supply well is providing the necessary pressure to move the 2,000 bwpd being injected into
Wolco #4A at zero surface pressure. This provides an initial injectivity substantially greater than the historical injectivity of former
injection wells adjacent and to the south of the Wolco pilot area.
Between the time injection was begun and this paper was submitted for publication only ten days had elapsed, not sufficient time
for a response to the injected water. Hence, there is no horizontal waterflood production data to report at this date. The results of the
first four months of the horizontal waterflooding will be reported at the conference.
Conclusions
1. The originally proposed site in the Woolaroc Field proved to be unsuitable for a horizontal waterflood project because of the
unexpectedly low permeability obtained from the Bartlesville core.
2.
A nearby site in the Wolco Field appears to be much more suitable for the demonstration of this technology because of a
thicker sand section and improved permeability.
3.
Simulation studies for thicker sand sections indicate that optimum performance can be achieved by placing horizontal
injection wells near the bottom of the formation while placing horizontal producing wells near the top of the formation. Good
vertical permeability is required.
4.
Reservoir modeling is critical in evaluating the suitability of a proposed area for a demonstration test.
5.
The demonstration project has indicated that short radius horizontal wells can be drilled with air/foam economically.
6.
Acknowledgements
This work was prepared with the support of the U.S. Department of Energy, under Award No. DE-FG26-02NT15452. The
project is indebted for the hearty endorsement of Principal Chief Jim Gray and the Osage Tribal Council.
Nomenclature
bbl
ft
inch
lbf
md
psi
x
x
x
x
x
1.589 873
3.048*
2.54*
4.448 222
9.869 233
6.894 757
E 01
E 01
E + 00
E + 00
E 04
E + 00
= m3
=m
= cm
=N
= m2
= kPa
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References
1. Ye, Liangmiao and Kerr, Dennis: Sequence Stratigraphy of the Middle Pennsylvanian Bartlesville Sandstone, Northeastern Oklahoma: A Case
of an Underfilled Incised Valley, AAPG Bulletin, Vol. 84, No. 8, August 2000, pp 1185-1204.
2. Guo, Genliang and Carroll, Herbert B.: A New Methodology for Oil and Gas Exploration Using Remote Sensing Data and Surface Fracture
Analysis, Performed Under DOE Contract Number DE-AC22-94PC91008, February 1999.
3. Taber, J. J.; Seright, R. S.: Horizontal Injection and Production Wells for EOR or Waterflooding, SPE 23952, presented at the 1992 SPE
Permian Basin Oil and Gas Recovery Conference, Midland, Texas, March 18-20, 1992.
4. Huang, W. S.; Kaetzer, T. R.; Bowlin, K. R.: Case History of a Horizontal Well Waterflood Project-New Hope Shallow Unit, Texas-An
Update, Paper HWC94-08, presented at the Canadian SPE/CIM/CANMET International Conference on Recent Advances in Horizontal Well
Applications, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, March 20-23, 1994.
5. Hall, S. D.: Multilaterals Convert 5-Spot Line Drive Waterflood in SE Utah, SPE 48869, presented at the 1998 SPE International Conference
and Exhibition in China, Beijing, China, November 2-6, 1998.
6. Lach, J. R.: Captain Field Reservoir Development Planning and Horizontal Well Performance, OTC 8508, 1997 Offshore Technology
Conference, Houston, Texas, May 5-6, 1997.
7. Collier, F.B.; Pickett, S.L.; Sharma, A.K.; Stewart, T.L.: Horizontal Wells Optimize Waterflood, Petroleum Engineer International, November
1995, pp. 24-28.
8. Kelkar, M.C.; Liner, C.; Kerr, D.: Integrated Approach Towards the Application of Horizontal Wells to Improve Waterflooding Performance,
Final Report, DOE/BC/14951-16, October 1999.
9. Joshi, S.: Horizontal Well Technology, PennWell Publishing Company, 1991.
10. Joshi, S.: Cost/Benefit of Horizontal Wells, SPE 83621, presented at SPE Western Region/AAPG Pacific Section Joint Meeting May 19-24,
2003.
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Figure 1
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Figure 2
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Figure 3
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Figure 4
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Figure 5
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